Hancock County's SSURGO septic rating

Very limited

USDA puts Hancock County, IA at "Very limited" for septic absorption fields, the dominant reading across 93% of the county's soil. Expect the ground itself to work against a plain gravity system; USDA's strictest bucket alone covers 93% of the county. For scale: 571.005 square miles and 10,616 people call Hancock County home.

Before you rely on this for one lot

Two lots a mile apart in Hancock County can carry different soil, even though they share one countywide rating. The real answer for one lot is still a site-specific perc test, running about $750-$1,850 (typically near $1,300).

Budgeting for a system in Hancock County, IA

Hancock County's soil reading pushes the likely outcome toward an engineered system rather than a conventional one. Conventional systems run $3,000-$8,000 where they pass; where they don't, engineered alternatives (mound or aerobic treatment, whichever the health department requires) run $10,000-$40,000 - budget toward the higher figure until a perc test says otherwise.

Hancock County's rank among Iowa counties

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Hancock County, IA ranks 935 most-constrained nationally, and 66 of 99 within Iowa.

Related guides

How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems